WEST CORK, IRE – The 2018 Winter Road Racing season got underway at Drimoleague on St Stephens Day and despite terrible weather conditions there was some good finishes in the five-race card.
Jamie Hurley who was champion jockey in 2017 kicked off the new season with two winners.
Maitha Buachaill and Rhyds Ponder were arch rivals all last year and the rivalry continued in the Grade A & B.
This time Maitha Buachaill got the verdict leading home Rhyds Ponder by two lengths with Tactician Du Lys a further ten lengths third. This gave Jamie Hurley his second win of the afternoon having earlier teaming up with newcomer Hillside Aurelius in the Novice Pace who led home On The Other Side by six lengths. The winner is owned by Liam O’Brien.
Another Hillside Farm bred Hillside Mustang took the Grade D. This was the best finish of the day with Fair Enough and Hillside Mustang battling out a driving finish with Mustang prevailing by a neck.
Sunnyside Kildare a former multiple track winner made his debut on tarmac a winning one leading from start to finish in the Grade E. Timmy O’Leary was in the plate for owner Sean Buckley.
Saunders Paris notched up another win in the Grade C and Deirdre Goggin teamed up with this one who is owned and trained by her brother Micheal.
New Years Day action moves to Durrus with another five-race program. Check www.harnessracingcork.com for details of entries.
By Tim Kelleher, for Harnesslink
RESULTS
GRADE A & B (The Tommy McCarthy Memorial Cup)
- Hegarty/Hurley MAITHA BUACHAILL J Hurley
- N Forbes RHYDS PONDER D Goggin
- G Kane TACTICIAN DU LYS T O’Leary
DIST 2l 10l 3 Ran
GRADE C (The Joe O Sullivan Cup)
- M Goggin SAUNDERS PARIS D Goggin
- D McCarthy RHYDS DILEMMA A McCarthy
- J O Sullivan HILLSIDE DARTANIAN M O’Reilly
DIST 5l 2l 3 Ran
GRADE D
- Cuigear Racing HILLSIDE MUSTANG J Healy
- C O Reilly FAIR ENOUGH M O’Reilly
- N Forbes GADGIE PAN D Goggin
DIST NK 4l 5 Ran
GRADE E
- S Buckley SUNNYSIDE KILDARE T O’Leary
- H Kelleher BLACKFIELD JENNY J Healy
- M O Donovan MR SECURITY J Hurley
DIST 2l 4l 4 Ra
NOVICE
- L O Brien HILLSIDE AURELIUS J Hurley
- D McCarthy ON THE OTHER SIDE D’Goggin
- J O Mahony EDERLEZI T O’Leary
DIST 4l 6l 5 Ran